The purpose of the proposed program is to insure a high level of patient compliance with the goals of treatment relative to defined problems in the area of hypertension. It is assumed that negative outcomes in the management of hypertensive disease are largely a function of failure on the part of the medical profession to obtain patient compliance relative to specific actions required of the patient to implement the treatment program. This may broadly be construed as a failure in patient education. It is further assumed that this failure is a function of failure to assure that appropriate and defined responsibilities are assumed by patients relative to their own treatment regime. It is therefore proposed that compliance with treatment requirements be obtained by insuring patient understanding of those treatment requirements as they relate to his behavior and his welfare by means of an individually prepared and negotiated Health Care Contract binding not only upon the patient, but also upon the physician. A health care educator will function to insure that the Health Care Contract is appropriately written to embrace treatment requirements, is understood by and accepted by both the patient and the physician responsible for providing care to the patient. The health care educator will further serve to insure compliance with the provisions of the contract where misunderstandings may arise or where one person or another may have failed to comply with some portion of the Health Care Contract.